She was born on
December 8th, 1980
at 10:50 p.m.
The exact time,
Mark David Chapman killed
John Lennon.
For me, though
that's just a coincidence.
All I care about
is that she was born
at that exact moment.
Her name.
"Lily Chou-Chou."
Genius.
Or rather
genesis.
The Ether personified.
From: philia
Liberating our thoughts
for that reason, SHE IS.
The shadows SHE releases into the Ether
sublimate its wavelengths,
transcend the spectrum,
reach the transparent beyond.
A permeating image of pain
fills the gaps of serotonin.
From: Cornea
The Ether heals my pain.
From: Dream Child
The things you hold dear,
friends,
family,
lovers,
hurt you the most.
You live with that.
That's why we have Ether.
A place of eternal peace.
That's the Ether.
From: Les Paul
Lily sees something,
no one else can see.
If that's the Ether,
then we must listen to her.
From: Ice
Does anyone else make music
from the Ether?
The Beatles, for sure.
From:f
Bjork, for me.
From: P-O-W-E-R
UA!
She cuts right to my soul.
From: MINAKO
Definitely Sheana Ringo.
From: SAKIYA
You think Sheana Ringo has the Ether?
No way.
Only Lily has the Ether.
From: Sleepy Head
I am the Ether's Chosen One.
The one who guards Lily.
I must carry out my orders
and lead fool to the true Ether.
So they will not err again.
From: Rod
This sounds like a cult.
Can't you live without this Ether?
From: Cuttlefish
I may be wrong, but
I don't feel the Ether from Lily.
Am I crazy?
From: Kaiser
I mean,
she's just a person.
I mean like
who the hell is Lily?
From: S
Exactly!
She doesn't do anything for me.
You're all brainwashed.
From: Kaiser
What's this "Ether"
you're all talking about?
From: Free Bird
The title of this film > "ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU"
Written and Directed by > Shunji Iwai
What's this?
How can I read it?
Promissory note & Certificate of title
Ain't worth shit!
Hey, wait!
Come back!
Run, Clione!
Smash the alarm!
My parents said it's ok, see?
You know we don't buy hot CDs.
Hot?
Hot... shoplifted, stolen.
But the customer's always right.
And welcome CDs, even brand new ones.
Every little bit helps, you know.
These aren't "hot.".
Excuse me...
Is this for sale?
If you want it, it's yours.
That's so lame.
Can I change the channel?
"Youth Hijacks Expressway Bus"
They still haven't caught him?
Kids these days are very scary.
Is your boy all right?
Yuichi? He's a good kid.
Has he asked to dye his hair yet?
He hasn't said anything.
But I'd dye it for him if he wanted.
"Yu-ichi" and "Shin-ichi"...
"ichi" means "eldest son."
So we should change "Shinichi" to "Shin-ji."
I suppose...
Shin-ichi, you be "Shin-ji".
No!
Quit complaining!
It's only fair since Yuichi has to change his last name.
Good?
Hello.
I'm "blue cat."
I never knew there was
a site like this.
So you probably don't think I'm a true fan.
But, I hope I'm welcome.
From: blue cat
Hello > blue cat.
This is a free-zone in the Ether
for those who love Lily.
"Lilyphilia"
I'm Philia, site manager.
The rule here is
you have to love Lily.
That's all.
So,
feel free
to write here anytime
about your passion for Lily.
From: philia
Hello?
Shinichi! Watermelon!
Don't sleep there. You'll catch a cold.
Shinichi!
They haven't caught him?
Nope. They haven't.
You're late.
Let's go!
Move it!
They should hang him.
Hey, good night!
Yuichi!
Spending money.
Don't tell your mom.
Lucky you.
Whoopee! They just got the hijacker!
From: Yodo
"Tear gas pours from the bus as the SWAT team goes in..."
"Breathe" is on sale!
I bought it!
A new hit from the Ether!
Oh! I'm a complete Lilyholic!
Kind of.
From: Bear
It made me feel like I was drifting
in the warm wind after a typhoon.
From: Nazna
Would a lullaby like this
put a baby to sleep?
I've given myself to the baby inside me
But I'm so busy "Breathing",
I can't sleep. :-)
From: Rodem
The frequency summoned me.
What is here?
From:M13
A new CD just came out.
From: bancy
Thhhanks.
I'llll buyyy ittt tomorrrrow.
Buttt I havvve
NO EARS.
From:M13
Manager!
I'm Osanai from Ayu Junior High.
Thank you for coming over.
He's one of my students.
It's just one CD.
What are you doing?
Why didn't you just buy it?
I'm really sorry about this.
You're his teacher?
He's a Lily Chou-Chou fan.
This rots the Ether, you know.
He used to be a bully....
You don't have to buy that.
No, I wanted it, and I'm here anyway.
Osanai?
Sato?
It is you!
It's been ages!
You work here?
Yeah. And you're a teacher?
That's hard work!
Hey, don't give her a hard time!
You have different tastes.
Show me.e
"Breathe."
"Arabesque."
So you got caught shoplifting,
Was it fun?
Guess not, huh?
Mr. Onda.
She's in the guidance office.
All right!
Is that Chopin?
It's Debussy.
"Arabesque".
The first song on "Breathe"
"Arabesque"
is an homage to Debussy.
"Arabesque!"
Lily says
the first to make ethereal music
were Debussy and Eric Satie.
But make no mistake,
Lily's Ether
is influenced by no one.
Lily was high on the Ether
before she ever heard Debussy.
From: philia
Hello.
Oh, I didn't know that...
you are expecting.
You never told me!
I'm sorry to bring you all the way down here in your condition.
I should have come to see you.
Please, sit down.
That's right. I should've gone to see you tonight.
So I wouldn't have had to skip baseball practice.
Excuse me?
The fact is that Yuichi...
...was caught shoplifting.
By the way, when is your baby due?
What the hell is wrong with you?
What're you doing?
Take it easy, Mrs. Hasumi!
Let's talk about this.
It was only one CD.
Ms. Osanai went to the record store.
I apologized and cleared his name.
Even if it's just one CD,
stealing is stealing.
Well, it's not unusual for kids these days to shoplift.
But over reacting won't be solve anything.
Besides, kids these days have a lot of strange ideas.
"In my darkened room
arms around my knees..."
I think he's really sorry.
"That's all I remember"
says Lily.
Even one CD,
stealing is stealing.
Well, that's true.
"Arms around my knees
no TV,
no music."
Lily says,
"It's always sunset.
As it grows dark...
when the air splits in two,
sound swells in my head,
and the light leaks through.
I don't remember when it started.
One day it was just there."
says Lily.
This was
the most important episode
in her awakening of the Ether.
If that idiot interviewer
hadn't asked her this question,
She might have shown more of what's inside of her.
"What music influenced you?"
She didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
She has no need of other music.
She conceives and gives birth to it.
The Ether is the amniotic fluid
that nurses her music.
That's all.
From: philia
Hello?
It's me. Hoshino.
Why don't you come out.
Yeah.
Yeah? Say, "Yes sir."
You know why we're here, don't you?
You ratted on us, didn't you?
No.
Liar!
Tsuji!
Leave that. Come here.
--Get up! --Pussy!
The band with Lily at its heart.
"Philia"
on Feb. 21, 1995
reached number one in the charts.
The first song was "Addiction."
But "Philia" broke up.
This guy's a Lily Chou-Chou fan!
...two short years later.
Fucking creepy!
Of them only "Kamakatsu"
has gone on to better things.
Come on!
"Kayama Katsuhiro"
or "Kamakatsu."
Now leads "Yellow Fellows."
What's wrong? Can't you stand?
Give us a hand.
Take your pants off.
Hurry! Take them off!
Your underwear, too.
Yeah, them too. Move it!
--Hurry up! --Hey! Move it!
Jerk yourself off.
Do it!
Spank your little monkey!
Rub yourself raw.
Turn this way, so we can watch you.
Fuck! He's really doing it!
What a pervert!
Skanky! It's making me puke!
1, 2, 3, 4!
...2, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4! 2, 2, 3, 4!
Keep in time!
Where's your sense of rhythm?
Get over here!
And 1, 2, 3, 4!! 2, 2, 3, 4!
Keep in time, I said!
Hey...
Enough with the rocks.
You'll kill him.
So? Is that a problem?
Let's bail.
I'm getting sick of this.
You two stay here
and make sure he comes.
Bring us a sample.
Kamakatsu used the band "Philia"
as a stepping stone for his career.
So all of us Lily fans
will never forgive him.
From: philia
Please stop now! Go home.
That's enough. I can't watch this!
That's gross! Stop it!
Let's go.
Please stop!
Lily likens the Ether to colors.
"Breathe" was blue Ether
and "Erotic" was red.
From: philia
"Erotic" was a masterpiece!
I still remember the rush I got
when I first heard it last year.
From: blue cat
I didn't get to hear it
when it came out.
It was only a year ago
But I still didn't
know about Lily.
From: philia
Representing the 1st-year students,
Hoshino Shusuke, Class 2
New students and teachers, stand!
Bow!
As we enter Ayu Junior High, our hearts are filled with hope...
He was Class President at Ayu Elementary.
Why's he representing us?
Hey, Sasaki...
Too bad, huh?
I don't care.
...as we help each other and make new friends.
Hoshino Shusuke, 1st year.
1999
13 years old.
You call them rose-colored days,
if you call today is gray.
From: philia
From Tanago Elementary.
Terawaki Hitoshi! My sports is kendo!
Pleasure to be here!
Louder!
From Tanago Elementary!
Class 3, Terawaki Hitoshi!
My hobby is kendo! Pleasure to be here!
From Iwana Elementary,
Class 5, Shimizu Kyota!
My hobby is Karaoke! Pleasure to be!
OK...
You're next!
From Ayu Elementary.
Speak up!
Ayu Elementary, Hoshino Shusuke.
I hope kendo will make me stronger.
Pleasure to be here!
That's him. Hoshino.
From Ayu Elementary,
Murakami Natsumi.
Well...I admire Ikeda!
Hey, you can't say that!
Masks!
Come on, Ikeda!
"Disturbing practice"?
We're not disturbing anything!
We are serious about kendo.
Business is business and pleasure is pleasure.
You're mixing it up!
We're not!
You're cheering for Ikeda.
We're supposed to cheer! They told us to!
We don't have to take this from you.
You can't make us quit the club.
Are you jealous?
You like one of us?
Or maybe it's Ikeda they like!
Homo!
Faggot!
Get out of here!
Hoshino, you really think highly of yourself, don't you?
Almost everyone in school hates you.
Did you know that?
It's such an asshole...its essence is an asshole.
You think winning the marathon means you can brag??
Or being smart means you're better than us?
Or making a speech makes you a big shot?
Let's go!
Fuck them!
They're nuts.
I didn't ask to make that speech.
Those girls joined the ping-pong club.
What? They quit kendo?
Now they're cheering for another guy.
Whatever.
I wish they'd been a bit more hotter.
There are hardly any hot girls in our grade.
Really?
Yeah.
There were only 20 girls in 6th grade.
The best one was Masumi.
Nice name.
No. She was called "Gorilla." She had a monkey face.
And she was the prettiest ?
In the monkey world, yes.
But junior high's a different world.
It's not only about girls.
I've never seen such smart guys like Hoshino here.
So now I'm almost like a frog out of its pond.
Kendo is sometimes like that too.
The Nationals are full of guys you can never beat.
You'd never think they were in junior high.
Are they that good?
He's getting fired up!
An ambitious guy, as usual.
We've never got past the Regional.
But maybe you guy will do better.
We've got you.
Just leave it to me.
I didn't mean you.
At least let me say it!
I'm going this way.
Thanks for treating.
He is...
a nice guy.
Sweetheart?
Help me with this.
A friend?
Hello.
What's all this?
It was on sale.
You loaded it yourself?
Sure did.
What is it?
Dog food.
Is this your room?
You want to take a bath?
I'm fine.
I'm gonna take a quick shower.
I gotta go.
Why? You should sleep over.
What was your name?
Hasumi.
Hasumi...what's your first name?
Yuichi.
Yuichi...so you're the eldest.
Any brothers or sisters?
No.
Really? Another only child.
Why don't you stay for dinner?
I just had some noodles...
You're a growing boy. You can still have some more.
Why don't you spend the night?
It's Sunday tomorrow.
I'll call your parents.
That's OK.
No, I insist.
Here's pajamas and underwear.
You can use his shampoo and conditioner.
These?
Those are Grandma's.
These?
They're mine.
These?
Yep. That's his.
You're adorable, Yuichi.
Can we adopt you?
Guess not, huh?
Sweetheart.
Come give us a hand.
Just leave it open.
Goodnight, then.
Is that your sister?
My mother, stupid!
That's bullshit!
No, it's not.
You came out of her?
Yeah.
No way!
Yes way.
Before the Big Bang, there was nothing. Amazing, huh?
The beginning of the universe!
It's still expanding.
Do you believe in aliens?
Maybe there're life forms we don't know about.
It'd be strange if there weren't.
Because then, what are we?
I'm dubious about UFOs, though.
"Dubious"?
"Uncertain." The evidence isn't reliable.
You're like an alien yourself.
Why?
Because you're so intelligent.
And your mom's so pretty.
Everyone's got me wrong.
What?
I'm not that smart.
You're the top student in our year!
No, I wasn't. I was seventh.
I wasn't first.
Be careful of rumors.
They said I came first in the personality test.
You didn't?
Think about it.
You can't come "first" in a personality test.
Nobody understands me.
But seventh is still pretty awesome.
Then I wish they'd say "seventh."
Why "first"?
Whoever came first thinks I'm lying about it.
Maybe they're calling me a liar behind my back.
Let's go to sleep.
What's that?
Lily Chou-Chou.
I've recently gotten into her.
Someone guided me to Lily.
Someone who liked Debussy.
From: blue cat
Run! Run!
I sat beside her
for a long time.
It was in 5th grade
before I changed schools.
Here's the bus!
Ouch! Ouch!
Don't push.
Sorry.
When I changed schools, she gave me
Philia's "Manic & Depressive."
I didn't understand it then.
In junior high I started liking it.
Maybe because I met her there again.
But now... .
we're not even in the same class.
I can never talk to her.
I'm a stranger to her.
I wonder if
she still likes Lily.
From: blue cat
I won!
Who said we were trying?
Cool him off a bit!
Hoshino, too!
Why me?
Just because!
You're next!
Go for it.
That girl was hot, huh?
Who?
The one Hoshino bumped into.
You mean Kuno?
Kuno?
How do you know her?
I don't know her.
Which one is she?
What Kuno?
Kanda Kuno?
It's Kanda Kuno!
Kuno is her family name. Class 1, maybe.
You know her.
No, I don't.
No? You're holding back something.
I really don't know her.
Have you ever heard me talking about her?
Bullshit! Tell us about her.
Why are you freaking out?
She was hot. Right?
Miss Kuno!
I can't believe he's calling her!
Paging Miss Kuno!
Yes?
What a fucking retard!
This train is bound for "Misskuno."
Does he go to your school?
She was right next to me!
Hoshino!
You! Hoshino!
We meet again, pussy!
Let's kick his ass.
What are you staring at?
Look somewhere else.
Can I hit him?
Leave it!
I don't care.
Think fast, dickhead!
I can't stand your face! Beat it!
What do you want? What do you want?
Asshole! Midget!
Fuck off. You fuck off.
You call me a midget?
Yeah, so? Any problem?
Asshole. Yes, I do. Any problem, midget?
Don't yell.
I'm not yelling.
You're too fucking loud.
Too bad.
What? So what?
You got a problem? Yeah, you.
Get out of my face!
He must have been bullied.
From class wimp to class president,
Hoshino's come a long way.
He doesn't seem like the kind of guy you mess with...
Sure he does!
You should see his mother. she's a babe.
His mother?
She's really hot.
How old is she?
Who cares? Pretty is pretty.
She looks like...
Who?
Inamori Izumi.
She's like her clone.
When I stayed over, she fed me till I just about burst.
I think it was a ploy.
What do you mean?
Rich people do it all the time.
They feed you, so you'll be friends with their kids.
Fight!
Thank you for everything!
Present the flowers!
Thank you!
Say, "cheese"!
Picture, please!
Say, "cheese"!
Bow!
Begin!
Fuck this!
I can't do this every day!
"The Charm of the Sea! Sea! Sea!"
The sea!
I want to go!
But there's no way.
10,000 yen, 20,000 yen...
Only 38,000 yen?
That won't get us to Okinawa.
Fuck Okinawa!
Fuck coral reefs!
But, I don't want to beg my parents.
I hear you!
They'd never let you forget it.
And Play Station 2's coming out. Really?
So we gotta be patient this summer.
It plays DVDs.n
Wow!...what's a DVD?
We can't go to Okinawa with our money.
My folks will be all, "No way."
"You can't go for 100 years."
"Go to the public pool."
Money! Money! Money!
Any ideas? We can get a job.
Manual labor!
Deliver papers!
Deliver milk!
That's hard work!
Pick pockets!
That's hard time!
A Porsche!
The guy's rich!
Now what?
I can't do it.
You go, then.
Nice car you got there!
Give us your money!
Quick!
Cut it out!
A hold-up!
Cool!
There's nothing in here!
Not that!
He's loaded!
Give me that!
Give it back!
Oh, fuck!
Hoshino!
They're coming this way!
Get down!
Get out here!
Get in shape, assholes!
You know the southern island
in Lily's "Arabesque"?
It may not be the same place.
But in Okinawat
there's a small island like it.
It's written "New Castle"
and pronounced "Aragusuku."
They say the Gods live there.
From: blue cats
I know that name.
I wonder why?
I can't remember.
From: philiae
Wow! Girls!-
Hello. Welcome!
Thank you for using Marine Tour, Ltd.
This island is "West Front." But in Okinawan it's "Irifront."
West is "Iri" in Okinawan.
East is "Agari."
South is "Fue."
North is "Nishi."
He's asking how you say "West"...
"Iri"?
Very good.
Let's get in the van.
We'll bring your luggage.
I'll shoot the video!
No, I will!
We'll be at the hotel soon.
Here we go!
Are you going to the Shirahama?
Can I hitch a ride?
Can we give him a lift?
All right?
Thanks.
Sorry to bother you.
Are they ever fast!
Okinawans say man was made from woman's rib.
So women here are very powerful.
You guys be careful?
Can I try it?
What do I do?
The red button?
OK, everybody smile!
Say, "Cheese"!
This is good right here.
I'll get out here.
"Nee Faa Yaa."
Thanks!l
"Nee Faa Yaa."
Take care.
My video camera...
Oh, that's right...sorry!
See you!
Take care.
See any wildcats?
Wildcats? That'd be lucky.
We didn't see any.
We want to see one.
He says no one knew they existed until a few years ago.
I've never seen one.
Are they that uncommon?
So rare that people would eat any they found.
What are you doing here?
Poaching?
No. I'm exploring."
Exploring? Cool!
That looks good?
Goya ice. Want some?
Really?
"Nee Faa Yaa."
Thank the boys. They paid for it.
Thanks.
Is this your first time here?
My fourth.
I want to see a "Gorakius."
What's that?
A bird. A kind of heron.
It's the right time of year.
Bye!
Take care!
Hey! The camera!
You look seductive.
Yeah?
So does she!
You look good too! Not at all!
Hey, what's that?
It's lit.
That's great.
Pretty?
Does it makes a circle?
Yeah!
It's so beautiful.
You're prettier.
Can I light it on you?
Me? No way!
Oh, it's out.
Your firecracker may go out, but mine won't.
It's beautiful!
That's it.,
Rocket Fireworks!
Careful!
Freaked me out!
Great!
Hey, girls!
What are we gonna do now?
Let's go see the turtles lay their eggs.
Turtles? Can we see any?
Almost every day in August.
So they'll be there tonight?
Probably.
They aren't coming.
Nope.
So there's no guarantee?
I'm afraid not.
I'm not a turtle.
Look at those stars!
Smile, everyone. Look this way.
No turtles!
Not tonight, I guess.
Shall we head back?
Let's go.
It's late and I'm sleepy.
Don't you ever get excited, Hoshino?
Put out that light!
Something flew at us!
Did it hit you?
What is it?
What?
A fish?
What is it?
A flying fish!
It's huge!
It's not a flying fish. It's called "Shijar."
"Shijar"?
They come flying out of the water.
They're attracted to light.
They could kill you.
Are you all right?
It's huge!
Did you get stabbed, Hoshino?
Hand me a light!y
It's huge!
Look! Its mouth is like an arrow!!
Are you all right, Hoshino?
She's cool!
I can't swim like that.
Great!
Is it good?
Yum, yum.
There's that guy again.
What's he doing here?
I thought I smelled something.
Would you like some?
Do you mind?
There's some food left.
My lucky day!
Here you go.
Thanks.
Thank the boys.
Having fun?
Convenient timing.
...so this Ficus tree is also called the "Strangler Tree."
You know why?
Because it wraps itself around another big tree and kills it.
If you shot that in time-lapse, it'd be horrifying,huh?
Coral's the same.
It sticks out a thin tentacle and kills the coral next to it.
It does?
Yep.
For us the natural world is a playground. But for the things that live in it,
it might be hell on earth.
But that's nature for you.
It's good for me.
The place life and death are side-by-side.
It's exciting, don't you think?
That's why I keep coming back.
You said you saw a "Shijar"?
The same family as the "Needlefish."
That's it!
It hit our friend.
That was close!
Get off me!
Shut up!
She can sit on me, though... .
What's that song called?
"The Aragusuku."
"Aragusuku"? What's that?
An island.
The one over there?
The one past that.
It's the most beautiful of these islands.
"Aragusuku".
Are you OK?
Hey! Somebody!
Are you OK?
Hoshino!
Are you all right?
All right?
In Okinawa we say a person has seven lives.
You've lost two, so you've only got five left.
Are you sure you didn't bring something bad here?
You can't live with the Gods angry at you.
Remember.
Life is precious.
Something's happening.
What?
They're stopping.
Are you all right?
He jumped out in front of us!
It's not our fault!
He came out of nowhere.
It's not our fault.
It's his fault.